Someday, Little One
by OneDarkandStormyNight
Summary: A very young Sarah's first reaction to her new friend, Jareth, being a king. One-shot. NOT AU. Jareth/Sarah friendship-fluff, with foresight of future romance.


_Before you ask...no. As unbelievable as it sounds, my love for this movie has nothing to do with my penname.  
I don't know if this is "proven" or not, but I believe (like lots of other people) that the movie was just one little glimpse into the whole story of Jareth and Sarah. I personally think that somehow (whether Jareth did it on purpose or not) Sarah got hold of the book at a young age, was visited repeatedly by Jareth all throughout her life, then made the wish for him to take her brother away and discovered he was the Goblin King (which explains why he's the villain in her eyes). At the moment, I think that he stole Toby to make her more mature and grow up a little bit, but then it backfired when she rejected him; I guess he thought that offering himself and asking for her love would make her want to stay with him (and I don't think he was really going to harm Toby, either). What happened after the movie, when he flies off toward the moon, is the best mystery of all... -wink-  
Anyway, this is a one-shot of one of their little meetings, a short time after she gets the book. Sorry for the long author's note; give me your theories in a review...?_

**Someday, Little One**

A little dark-haired girl of six and a half years sat all alone on her small bed, her sad hazel eyes mesmerized by her favorite doll; small and delicate, standing in a little gazebo, dressed in a spotless white, lacy gown, with tresses of nearly-black curls flowing behind her porcelain face, it was the loveliest toy she possessed, and twirled to the most haunting tune written when she wound it. She ran her fingers over the glittering skirt, remembering the giver of the cherished doll.

_Jareth._

Sarah sighed faintly. Being younger than seven (though she adamantly declared otherwise), she knew next to nothing about time; to her, every occurrence could be described as either "yesterday" or "tomorrow", but it seemed like forever since he had come to see her. The last time was at Easter, when he and some of his silly, furry friends hid giant eggs all over her room, helped her carry them to her bed as she found them, then watched her squeal with delight when they all hatched at once to reveal tiny baby dragons. Now, it was July…or was it "June?" She didn't know for sure, but either way, Jareth hadn't come back, and she did know that she missed him.

"I wish I could see Jareth right now," she murmured to the doll without really realizing it, who responded by spinning in another slow circle.

After a few minutes of more silence, a scent like warm honey and forest mist and pretty music and bad dreams drifted throughout her room, and her wide eyes, filled with a childish hope, darted around in search of its source. A graceful, unearthly figure stepped from the shadows, his mysterious face half-lit by the golden light from the small lamp on her nightstand; his costume was a glossy, pitch-colored type of armor, with a black, sparkling cape nearly touching the floor behind him as he cocked his head at her.

"Did you call for me, dear?"

"Jareth!" She dropped the little doll onto her bed and flung herself at him.

He barely had time to move before the child landed in his arms (he nearly laughed aloud as he wondered how such small legs could manage the jump), but did not mind when she squeezed his neck and exclaimed, her little voice muffled against his shoulder,

"I missed you, Jareth."

He rested a hand on her back. "And I you, little one."

"Then why didn't you come to see me?"

Jareth found himself staring into two accusing female eyes, and could not help but smile under the weight of such a young wrath. As he set her down on her bed he answered, remembering to keep his words simple, "I wanted to, darling, but I've had a lot of work to get done."

"What sort of work?" she asked, folding her hands daintily in her lap and swinging her legs back and forth.

"It's much too hard to explain, love," he told her honestly.

"Oh." She paused, then, as she watched him replace Lancelot on the shelf above her bed, "Where do you work, Jareth?"

"At a castle," he replied flippantly, but watched her from the corner of his eye, awaiting the foreseen reaction.

Sarah made an ecstatic sound, bouncing energetically where she sat, her eyes huge with wonder. A rush of warmth spread through his veins (having nothing to do with his magic); he was pleased at how quickly her disposition could change in his presence from forlorn and cheerless to radiant and happy. Inexplicably, he found himself wishing he could always keep her this way — a smile on her beautiful face and a sparkle in her bewitching eyes. He was almost annoyed with himself; he was one of the most powerful and fearsome potentates in the Underground, with a mighty army and (for the most part) loyal and contented subjects. Yet, here he was, visiting the Aboveground home of a little human girl, wanting nothing more in the moment but to please her, and picking up her toys — some of which he himself gave her as gifts!

"_Really_?" she was gasping as she grinned the most endearing, toothless grin he had ever seen. "Are you a _prince_?"

"Certainly not; there is no prince in my castle."

Her face fell as her fairytale vision visibly shattered in her imagination. At this, Jareth smirked and tilted her head up to look at his face, so that he could be sure she was listening to what he told her.

"I" — he pushed a strand of hair from her eyes, fairly purring with no small amount of vanity _(how did this tiny human have such a power over him that he could be so yearning for her trivial praise?)_ — "am the king, Sarah."

Her face fairly glowed with the thrill of his words, and she jumped straight up to stand on the bed and meet his eye-level.

"'King Jareth,'" she drawled in as rich a voice as she could manage, smiling broadly at the sound of the title.

"That's right," he responded approvingly.

"Will you take me to your castle, Jareth?" she chirped, her cat-like eyes gazing at him imploringly.

"Perhaps someday, little one," he answered, though he had inwardly vowed from the moment she found that centuries-old book with the red cover that she would certainly see his Labyrinth, when the both of them were ready.

"And will I be treated like a princess when I come?" she went on, eyes dancing at the thought.

He pressed a finger to her cheek and answered resolutely, "Anyone who treats you otherwise will be tossed into the Bog of Eternal Stench, and he will smell worse than old garbage for all time."

She giggled and slithered down to the floor, rushing to a pile of toys in the corner and digging out a small plastic tiara and a dark blue cloak. Donning them, she bowed elegantly to an invisible suitor, and one could almost see the dirty rug transform into a polished ballroom floor, and the water-stained ceiling a canvas of clouds and cherubim.

Jareth watched silently as the little princess danced in a clumsy loop, nearly tripping over various playthings as she went, but not seeming to notice or care as she whirled off into some happily-ever-after of her own creation.

"Someday, little one," he whispered as his mind wandered speculatively into the out-lying, distant future, "you might even be a queen."

* * *

_And no, before you ask, Jareth is not a sick pervert. Think about it: He stays the same age forever, and little Sarah (whom he already loves, despite his cruel nature) will eventually grow up into a beautiful woman. It's called pre-planning. -biggrin-  
Please, for the love of all things magical, tell me how I did (but go easy; it's my first). Let me know if you want any more!_


End file.
